Lesper4

So what are everyones plans for teh Tour? Sunday may be the start but it is also on Mothers Day. I was thinking about watching on Monday and riding the tram road as well but I would have to take off work. The next stage is a little far away and it is on a Tuesday. Anyone else?

PhotoJoe 

I live really close to the Santa Clarita stage end/start point. I may sneak out of work for a while to check it out.

TrojanHorse

I work right around the corner from the santa clarita start and stop points on Tuesday and Wednesday... unless I'm on crutches (possible) I'm definitely going to hit one of the stages.

I was thinking of riding up palomar for Sunday's stage but I forgot it was mother's day - that's bad karma right there.

PhotoJoe 

Unless getting you out of the house for the day is the best gift you could give her!

TrojanHorse

There is that but she does like me under her thumb. The honeydos never end.

volosong

I'll be somewhere on the Palmdale/Sta Clarita route, probably on Lake Elizabeth Road where they will pass twice.

diphthong

would love to ride up palm springs tram road and camp out at the top. the only shade along that route is at the tram station itself and it's gonna be a looong wait in the heat.
will try instead to catch stage one and ride up south grade palomar and parking it at the top near mother's.

Gallo

Stage for me

I am thinking I might go early after Palomar and get back down to as far as I can. Hopefully to the finish. With the 11 am start I might have a chance to loop form the start and shoot back to see the finish.

does anyone know what time they are closing the roads?

robertkat

In Escondido, I think they said 5 AM or so. I read something about most of the route will be handle by CHP and will be a rolling closure. That is, sections will be closed off and then re-opened as the peleton passes through. I think an hour before and 30 minutes after.

If I'm not out riding (probably will be), we might pedal down the street to see them come into town.

Lesper4

When we rode Baldy they closed the roads to traffic very early and the rolling closures usually only apply to the bikes. Bikes could ride most of the day.

diphthong

i don't recall the toc descending palomar south grade before.
wondering what kind of effect that rumble strip and the cattle grates
will have (if any) on that descent. hope none of the guys wipe out.

jabantik00

Oh stage 1 is the pie ride in reverse? I have only done it the other direction. Is it good in reverse? Anyone want to do this one of these days?

Gonna probably watch stage 1 either on palomar or tv

hamster

I did most of it, just not all at once. It's pretty good. The biggest issue is that they go up 78 to Ramona. Which is OK for tour racers on a closed road, but not too fun for regular people in traffic.

If anyone is going to wipe out, there's a good chance that they will wipe out on Mesa Grande downhill to Lake Henshaw.

I'll probably try the full course on the 27th. But I'm slow.

calamarichris

Doesn't make much sense for them to do it counter-clockwise, IMO. They end up descending all the steep, sillystring roads and climbing up the gradual, easier climbs.
Also, judging from the map, it looks like they're eschewing Mesa Grande, and staying on the 79 the whole way to the 76.
Tragic, because Mesa Grande is one of our gems.

hamster

Double checked the map on the tour web site, it's still showing the route through Mesa Grande.

Doing it counter-clockwise is kind of the point. It's not supposed to be a mountain stage. 11k feet of climbing is already enough.

diphthong

i did stage one in reverse last week since the official route didn't look as exciting as going clockwise seemed.
lake wohlford, mesa grande and palomar grades are nice, regardless of direction. pavement is pretty beat up on the
entire east grade of palomar to the s6/s7 summit and also on the descent from lake wohlford to valley center road.
pipe dreaming a road resurfacing on the east grade of palomar...

diphthong

yah, the mesa grande descent could cause a problem or two but i still think the rumble strip on the descent of s7 is gonna directly/indirectly end up causing a wipeout/crash.
that strip is brutal crossing back and forth on the descent and a few riders may opt for a safer descent in the comfort of the single lane we mortals descend vs the entire road.

calamarichris

Sorry pros, but I'm VERY glad they put that rumble strip on South Grade. Way too many wackos overshooting turns and taking up the whole lane on "Palomar Raceway." I've had more than a dozen close calls while motorcycling and a half a dozen while cycling by idiots overshooting corners and having a head-on collision well inside my lane. It was really getting out of control before the rumblestrips went in.

diphthong

the rumblestrip will be a p.i.t.a. for the pros but for us weekend warriors, it's a godsend. saw 4 separate
patches of motorcycle 'fuselage' in different places on the south grade ascent last week. only had 6 cars
(no motorcycles...and no cyclists!) pass me on the ascent once past the 76/south grade junction. nice and quiet on a thursday.

Lesper4

Fun Article, if he sprinted it twice it can't be that hard for them?
https://palmsprings2013.com/olympic-c...of-california/

diphthong

sprinting is a relative term when applied to this climb. if purito is riding the toc, this finish is tailor-made for him. no cavendish types will be winning this stage.

DXchulo

I'm planning on camping near Santa Barbara and watching Stages 4 and 5. I was thinking of riding part of the Stage 4 route backwards and would appreciate any info on the portion that isn't part of the race route. Any better suggestions than this?

https://goo.gl/maps/JakSs

Pamestique 

Because of my work schedule very sadly the only stage I can watch is the first... so I will be out there Sunday somewhere. Haven't decided where best to view the riders. I was thinking as mch fun it would be to watch them climb or descend Palomar I just don't want to get out there that early. Any other recommendations would be appreciated.

GP

If its going up Cole Grade park at the library and ride to Cole Gr.

IanInSD

******bag... were you riding north on PCH last Sunday? Approaching Swamis around 10:30am or so?

Ian